The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-28
A GRAND Army ISSUE.
shall x-ConfeAerase Upion Sell
diers be Admltsedr
81. Louis Republics


The proposed court martial of
Barney Feldkamp by the Frank
Blair Post, Grand Army Of the Re-
public, has caused q great deal Of dis
cussion in the Grand Army, even
outside of the post directly interest
ed, and the affair seems to have as
spmed the proportions Of q national
issue. In conversation with Gen.
Thomas b. Rodgers, adjutant OF the
Missouri department and promi-
nent mem Der Of the Frank Blair
Post, that gentleman said he had not
taken any interest in the question Of
Peldkamps gull or innocence Of the
charge Of having been in the Coded
crate army, but that, as an inde-
pendent proposition, the quest. ON
was on which had seitated the or
ganigation since 1872. "As to Field
Ramps story about the fight being
against his Democracy" said the
general, that is all sheer nonsense,
for we have several Democrats in
our post aud they are among our
best members. fhe question Of
politics would not be allowed to
come up"
what do you know about the par
ticular case Of Feldkamp, Gen.
Rodgers?"'
We'll. I believe il grew out Of
Col. Knapper having lost a Is bet on
feldka mp, and l understood that
Feldkamp admitted he was in the
rebel service for four months. To
be explicit, / was told that he said
he was camped out in Arkansas;
that the party had no guns, but tina,
they understood themselves to be in
the Confederate service. OF course
i know nothing about the case ex-
cept what l have been told"
What about the other question Of
admitting ex-Confederates to mem
bershipI"
swell, article 4 Of the bylaws con +.
cludes as follows No person shall
be eligible TO membership who has at
any time borne arms against the
United States. Now, that clause
has been fought in every grand en-.
campment since 1872, ard the argu-
ments pro and con have taken up q
great deal OF the time aud space OF
the proceedings Of the annual meet
ings. For instance, take the year
1885, when the encampment was
held at Portland, Me-"
Here the general drew forth copy
oil the proceedings OF that encamp-
ment, in which occurs the report OF
committee appointed at the meet
ing the previous year to consider On
amendment proposing the insertion
Of tho word voluntarily" immed-
ately before the word borne" in
the above clause. The report begins
as follows:
The amendment is asked by the
loyal soldiers Of the South. IL is
claimed. aud II is undoubtedly true
that many Unicn men living in the
South we're forced into the Confcd.
crate armies, compelled TO serve
against the Union cause, and did
serve, Notwithstanding their Union
sentiments. until m opportunity for
escape offered, when they Joined the
Union army and served TO the close
OF the war.
In the close Of the report and tn,
submission OF the decision OF IN,
committee the following language 4
used:
There is no such thing as involun
tary treason. A man who served Il
the rebcl army. no matter how stron
his Union sentiments might hav
been, or how distssteful the robe
seryiee 90 him, OF how soon no lett
or how good his subsequent scrvic,
in the Union army, he voluntarily
bore arms against the United States
lie chose what he considered IN,
lesser evil, aud choosing that evil b,
exercised his own will. Grant i
that men we're hunted down with
bloodhounds; chased into caves ap,
thickets; that their families wor,
exposed 10 danger aud distress
granted that their service was
choice between such service an,
deith, the choice still rested will
the conscript. But, on the o,ho
hand, we are informed on the bes
oil athority that thousands Of rcbs
prisoners, 6udipg plenty =; cat. +.
drink aud TO wear 10 the Northcr
army. enlisted from our prisons, &C
eeptcd Northern bounties, aud todp
hold honorable discharges from III
Uni.cd States. They voluntaril
Joined the rebel army. They volur
tarily deserted. Every man {
them, II new rule be adopted, ca
10 n our order and stretch his cor
science less than he did when h
deserted the rebel army. Any rul
which may sdmit 10 our ranks sue
men Is, In our opinion, most pei
nieious. Ia our Judgment a chans
In tho rule, 80 that some conrad,
may be little loyal, 50 that n
membership may run all the WI
iron treason 10 loyalty, will be Il
destruction Of the order.
Al the same time W. =. Marsha
Of Tennessee aud Georgia, q memb
Of the committee, offered the folio,
ing minority report as an addition
the clause under discussion:
Provided, however, that in Al
case where an application for met
bership shall hereafter be made
the departments Of Virginia, Ike
lucky, Tennessee, Georgia. Nilsson
Arkansas, Florida or the Gulf, by
honorAbly discharged soldier or sa
or OF the United States, who sh
have at any time been forced 20 be
arms 10 the rebel army, the comm
tco TO whom such application m
be referred shall II satisfied from /
athdayiis Of two or more comrades
the Grand Army IN good standing
that department, that the applied
has IN TACT been at all times loyal
abe United States, and that he v
ioroibly and against his will co
PEELED 10 bear arms for time in I
rebel army, shall 10 report TO
commander OF the post, aud file W
him the evidence upon which Oh
report Is based, aud he, IL ho CONF
In tha renort "A tho eofnmittec ~